Refining hydrocarbons



5, 1932- M. R. MANDELBAUM 7 1,865, 74

REFINING HYDROCARBONS Filed July 29. 1950 VENTOR Y 18 9&

AT'ro Patented July 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mvm B- HLNDELBA OF IIJIZAIBETK, m imam. 'LSBIGNOB 1'0 TEE GRAY WARE DEFINING 7 Application fled July 89, 1880. Serial 110. 471,451.

This invention relates to the art of refining hydrocarbons and more especially to the vapor phase refining of cracked etroleum products by contact with adsorptive materials.

I In a method of vasor phase refining of cracked petroleum pro ucts the products are caused to pass through a body of solid adsorptive material supported tower for free drainage. During the contact- 10 ing step, olymerization of unstable, unsaturated hy ocarbons contained in the vapors takes lace. The polymers thus formed have a big or boiling oint than the vapors and consequently as t e vap'ors being treated are maintained at or near their boiling point under the conditions of treatment, the (polymers liquefiy in the treating material an are separate from the treated vapors. The vapors to be treated are supplied either from a rerun still where the cracked products are. re-

distilled or directl from a cracking unit. In either case, it is a visable to interpose a fractionating tower between the distilling system and the treating tower so that only that fraction which is desired in the final refined product is passed through the adsorptive material. The adsorptive material most common in commercial use is fullers earth, although other adsorptive material having similar selective polymerizing qualities may be used.

It has been found that the efiiciency of the refining process and the uality of final prodnot are improved by ad ing a fractionating step after the refining or polymerizing step. Heretofore, this has been accomplished by introducing between the treating tower and the condenser used for condensing the treated vapors, a secondary fractionating tower usually of the bubble cap type. By passing the treated vapors through such a tower any pol mers entrained in the vapor are removed and improvement in quality is obtained by refluxing the liquid collecting in such secondary fractionatin tower.

Theuse ofasecon ary fractionatin tower, however, has several disadvantages. irst, it adds to the expense of the equipment where, as is usual in the case of a treating tower directly connected td a cracking unit, the

separation it is usuall within a treating operation is carried on under considerable pressure and the secondary fractionating tower has to be built to withstand such pressure. Second there is a larger heat loss in the secondary tiger even where it is well insulated than 1s cessary for the amount of desired to accom lish. Finally, due to this eat less, it is di cult properly to regulate the amount of reflux which contacts with the vapors and which iiurmg normal operation should be kept very ow. This invention has for an object a combined treatin and seconda fractionating tower which 0 viates the disa vantages above enumerated.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will be a parent from the following splecification and accompanymg drawlng w erein the single figure is a vertical section through an apparatus embod 'ng the invention.

e treating tower 11 is provided near its bottom with a shelf 12 permeable to fluids, but

impermeable to solids on which is supported 76 a body of treating material 13, which is preferably fullers earth, but which ma be any solid adsorptive material capable o causing selective po ymerization of unstable, unsaturated comppunds present in cracked hydrocarbons. etween the plate 12 and the bottom of the treatin tower 11 there is provided a screen 14. A tu e 15 is arranged centrally of the treating towerll and its upper end preferably passes through the top of the tower. The upper end of the tube 15 is pro vided with a vapor outlet pipe 16 and within the tube near its upper en is arranged a coil 17. At the lower end of the tube 15 there is provided a trapped draw-oil line 18 controlled by a valve 19 preferably actuated by a liquid level control 20. The tower 11 is provided with a vapor inlet 21, a charging manhead 22 and a discharging manhead 23. Preferably the treating tower is covered with a layer 24 of heat insulating material.

The tube 15 is provided with bubble trays 25 and conductors 26 such as are commonly used in fractionating towers for insuring contact between liquids and vapors. In the tube 15 apertures 27 are provided between the plate 12 and the screen 14 and other apertures 28 are provided near the bottom.

In the operation of this apparatus, the va- 5 por inlet 21 is connected with a source of cracked hydrocarbon vapors which may be a fractionating tower connected to a cracking still or a re-run still. The vapor outlet 16 is connected to a condenser (not shown) for condensing and cooling the refined vapors.

The draw-oil line 18 may be connected to a tank or the efiluent liquids may be pumped back to the fractionating tower of the distilling system or to any other part of the system for re-treatment.

The vapors entering the treating tower pass through the adsorptive material 13,

thereby causing the unstable, unsaturated constituents of the vapors to be pol merized to higher boiling point compoun s which condense and drain through the shelf 12 along with the vapors. The vapors then pass through the apertures 27 into the tube 15 and rise up through the fractionatin column. Here they come in contact with re ux liquid either introduced as such through the coil 17 which in that case is perforated or produced by condensation of the vapors in contact with the coil which may be cooled by the circulation of the cooling medium therethrough. The treated and refined vapors are then assed through the pipe 16 to the condenser. olymers draining from the treating material, together with condensate from the fractionating tower are collected in the base of the latter and are withdrawn through the pipe 18, the level of liquid in the bottom of the tower being maintained uniform by means of the contro mechanism 20. The screen '14-. tends to prevent the vapors from entraining liquid from the condensate collecting in the bottom of the tower.

It will be noted that by using an inner tower for the final fractionation of the treated vapors only the end of the. fractionating tower extendingfutside the shell of the treating tower need e strongly built as there is no substantial pressure difference between the inside-and outside of that part of the fractionating column which is located within the treating tower. Moreover, not only is there no heat loss since the tower is jacketed by vapors, but the exothermic nature of the reaction taking place in the adsorptive material supplies enough heat to make it possible to dispense with the reboiling ordinarily necessary to secure efiicient strip ing of gasoline from the reflux material. ince there is no heat loss due to radiation, the amount of reflux required can be accurately supplied at the top of the tower by means of the cooling coil or Hie perforated coil.

As has been previously pointed out, the above apparatus may be used in re-run or cracking distillation systems and at any desired pressure. The treating material may be fullers earth or any other similar material which will cause the polymerization of the unstable, unsaturated constituents of the vapors and may have admixed with it a desulphurizing material.

I claim:

1. In combination, a shell, a fractionating tower arranged within said shell and forming a chamber therewith, means within said chamber having communication with the treating material for free drainage, said chamber havin communication with the lower portion 0? said fractionating tower, a vapor inlet into said chamber, and a vapor outlet from said fractionating tower.

2. In combination, a shell, a fractionating column within said shell and forming a chamber therewith, means within said chamber for supporting solid adsorptive' treating material for free drainage, said chamber having communication with the lower portion of said fractionating column, a vapor inlet into said chamber, a vapor outlet from said fractionating column, and means for draining liquid from said chamber and fractionating column.

3. In combination, a cylindrical shell, a bubble tower arranged within said shell and forming a chamber therewith, means within said chamber for supporting solid adsorptive material for free drainage, said chamber having communication with the lower portion of said bubble tower, means for. introducing vapors into said chamber, and means for withdrawing vapors from said bubble tower.

4. In combination, a cylindrical shell, a bubble tower arranged within said shell and forming a chamber therewith, means within said chamber for supporting solid adsorptive material for free drainage, said chamber having communication with the lower portion of said bubble tower, means for introducing vapors. into said chamber, means for withdrawin va ors from said bubble tower, and means or raining liquid from said bubble tower and chamber.

5. In combination, a shell, a tower within said shell and forming a chamber therewith, means within said chamber for supporting solid adsorptive material for free drainage, said chamber having communication with the lower portion of said tower, bubble trays within said tower, means for introducing vapors into said chamber, and means for withdrawing vapors from said tower.

6. In combination, a shell, a tower within said shell and forming a chamber therewith, means within said chamber for supporting solid adsorptive material for free drainage, said chamber having communication with the lower portion of said tower, bubble trays within said tower, means for introducing vapors into said chamber, means for withdrawing vapors from said tower, and means ecture 3 for supplying reflux liquid to the top of said wer.

7 In combination, a shell, a tower arranged within said shell and forming a chamber therewith, means within said chamber for supporting solid adsorptive material for free dram said chamber having communication with the lower portion of said bubble tower, means for introducing vapors into said chamber, means for withdrawing vapors from said tower, and means within said tower for efl'ecting fractional condensation of vapors passing therethrou h.

8. In combination, a she a tower within said shell and formin a chamber therewith,

means within said her for supporting solid adsorptive material for free drainage, said chamber ha communication with the lower portion of saidtower, means for introduc' vapors into said chamber, means for with rawmg vapors from said tower, means within said tower for effecting fractional condensation of vapors passing therethrough and means for draimng liquid from sai chamber and tower.

means for wit drawing vapor from said frac:

tionatinf column an means controlled by I the leve of liquid in said shell for draining 1i uid from said chamber and column.

testimony whereof, I have signed my namd to this 'fication. M r R. MANDELBAUM.

. summons or CORRECTION;

iatentNo. 135,414, a July 5, 1932.

' mvm u. MANDELBAUM.

it is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification oi the ahove'nnmbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line ll, claim i, strike outthe words "having conlplmication with the" and insert ineteadlor supporting solid edlorptive; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this iith day oi October, A. D. 1932.

Ii. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

' ecture 3 for supplying reflux liquid to the top of said wer.

7 In combination, a shell, a tower arranged within said shell and forming a chamber therewith, means within said chamber for supporting solid adsorptive material for free dram said chamber having communication with the lower portion of said bubble tower, means for introducing vapors into said chamber, means for withdrawing vapors from said tower, and means within said tower for efl'ecting fractional condensation of vapors passing therethrou h.

8. In combination, a she a tower within said shell and formin a chamber therewith,

means within said her for supporting solid adsorptive material for free drainage, said chamber ha communication with the lower portion of saidtower, means for introduc' vapors into said chamber, means for with rawmg vapors from said tower, means within said tower for effecting fractional condensation of vapors passing therethrough and means for draimng liquid from sai chamber and tower.

means for wit drawing vapor from said frac:

tionatinf column an means controlled by I the leve of liquid in said shell for draining 1i uid from said chamber and column.

testimony whereof, I have signed my namd to this 'fication. M r R. MANDELBAUM.

. summons or CORRECTION;

iatentNo. 135,414, a July 5, 1932.

' mvm u. MANDELBAUM.

it is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification oi the ahove'nnmbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line ll, claim i, strike outthe words "having conlplmication with the" and insert ineteadlor supporting solid edlorptive; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this iith day oi October, A. D. 1932.

Ii. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

